The Punic Wars Two Cultures Collide: Rome and

Carthage

Carthage

• Phoenician City-State in Northern Africa – Grew by trade and conquest

– Controlled most of western Mediterranean Sea

First Punic War (264-241 B.C.E.)

• Began as a small dispute in Sicilian city of Messina

• Rome won quick victories so Carthage sent more soldiers, and more, and more, and more – Lasted for about 20

years – Outclasses by Carthage

Navy and Government

Results of First Punic War

• Rome learned for to fight wars!

– Senate learned how to finance a war

• Rome built and adapted its navy

• Rome gained a taste for war and empire

(UH-OH FOR MEDITERANNEAN WORLD)

Origin of Second Punic War

• Carthaginian Ruler Hamilcar Barca builds empire into Spain

– Hatred of Rome and humiliating defeat drove him to build army

– Had son named Hannibal

The Second Punic War (218 - 202 B.C.E.)

• Hannibal invaded Italian Peninsula – Hoping to gain quick

victories and break up empire

• Hannibal broke into Italy – Many battles won

early on, made it all the way to southern Italy

Famous for….

• Hannibal Crossing the Alps

– Hannibal escaped from Roman army in Spain

• 40,000 troops and 37 elephants

– Marched his army through the impenetrable Alps

Famous For….

• Battle of Cannae

– Roman Senate creates army of 80,000 to deal with Hannibal’s 40,000

– Hannibal tricks Romans to attack, but Hannibal gets around them

– Only about 10,000 Romans survived

Problems Arise

• Italian States not breaking away from Rome

– Loyalty, promises of victory, hope for military victory

• Romans Start burning everything in Hannibal’s path

• Roman Army suddenly gets a little less ambitious

Scipio Africanus

• Roman Consul

– Elected on promise of defeating Hannibal

• Invades Africa

– Forces Hannibal to return home to defend

Famous For….

• Battle of Zama

– Hannibal sent mass Elephant Charge

– Romans figured out how to defend against it

– Scipio used same tactic that Hannibal did at Cannae

Results of Second Punic War

• Carthage forced to give up its empire

– Lost all but 30 square miles

• Army and navy broken up

– Only enough to defend against desert tribes

• Hannibal forced into exile

– Still tried to build army till mysterious death

Third Punic War (150 B.C.E. – 146 B.C.E.)

• “Carthago delenda est!” Senator Cato the Elder called for the destruction of Carthage

– Carthage growing economically

– Getting picked on by neighbors

• Senate still scared of a powerful Carthage

Famous For…

• Final Destruction of Carthage – Ancestor of Scipio led

attack – Broke into city and

fought fierce street battle

– EVERYTHING WAS DESTROYED • Walls town down • City burned • Citizens sold into slavery • Senate passed a decree

no one could ever live there